Method and apparatus for playing a board and computer game

ABSTRACT

This invention is a game with a square game board having an even number of squares, but not less than ten, on each of four sides comprising; an even number of squares of alternating color; four Home-Ports; and two pair of Worm-Holes placed at each of the four corners. The method of playing the board game comprises the steps of; dividing the playing area into an even number of squares of alternating color; placing a predefined set of playing-pieces initially in predetermined squares for the four player&#39;s pieces; each player, in turn, moving one piece belonging to said player; winning the game if one player captures a Goal playing-piece placed in the center of the board and moves the Goal playing-piece to a Home-Port of said capturing player. The game comprises the above game board, playing-pieces and rules of movement.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention is an abstracted strategic conflict simulation game in which the field of combat and the capabilities of the units which each commander or player has at his disposal are abstracted. The board used in Chess is an example of an abstracted field of battle and the chess pieces are examples of units with abstracted capabilities. Some conflict simulation games require destruction of an opponent's forces or a portion of his forces. For example, demonstrating inevitable capture of the opponent's king (checkmate) in chess is the victory condition. In other games the capture of a key location or object is the victory condition. The present game requires capture of a key object and transport of that object to a location specific to that player.

The present game features four opposing armies placed on an imaginary field of combat abstracted to a fourteen by fourteen square board. It will be readily appreciated that similar square boards of differing dimensions could be used. Two, three, or four armies of selectively locatable and movable playing-pieces represent abstracted imaginary units. Each army consists of eight Common Droid playing-pieces, two Octlite playing-pieces, two Phobius Rider playing-pieces, two Nimrod playing-pieces, and one Emperor playing-piece. Each playing-piece has specific movement and capture capabilities. The victory objective is the capture and transport of the Goal playing-piece to the player's Home-Port.

The fourteen by fourteen, square board has wormholes at the corners, and Home-Ports identified near the center of each side. The number of squares on each side of the board is selected as fourteen to minimize the overall size while assuring that the initial contacts between the armies do not provide a decisive advantage to any one player by virtue that player's position in the sequence of play. Wormholes permit movement of pieces from one corner to the opposite corner of the board. The Home-Ports are the location to which a player must move the Goal playing-piece to win the game, adding an element of pursuit to the present game.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a competitive board game played with a marked board, individual playing-pieces, and a Goal playing-piece.

The game is played on a square four-sided board using armies of playing-pieces distributed among four equal groups. Each player controls the playing-pieces of one of the armies.

The object of the game is for a player use his army to capture the Goal playing-piece and move it to that player's designated Home-Port.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the game board.

FIG. 2 is a chart of game pieces and a plan view of the game board, with playing-pieces, at the beginning of the game.

FIG. 3 is a chart of movement rules and a chart showing the legal moves for the Common Droid playing-piece.

FIG. 4 is a chart showing the legal moves for the Octlite playing-piece.

FIG. 5 is a chart showing the legal moves for the Nimrod playing-piece.

FIG. 6 is a chart showing the legal moves for the Phobius Rider playing-piece.

FIG. 7 is a chart showing the legal moves for the Uncloaked Emperor playing-piece.

FIG. 8 is a chart showing the legal moves for the Cloaked Emperor playing-piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is a competitive board game played with a marked board, individual playing-pieces, and Goal playing-piece (Dieaphium Crystal Element) 4 by two, three or four players moving a single playing-piece of their army 9 in a predetermined sequence of play among the players. The players determine the sequence of play at the outset of the game by rolling dice or other suitable means. It will be readily appreciated that the present game may be implemented by any means such as cardboard or glass or even via a computer system with suitable display and processing capability. One or more of the players may be a computer system.

The game board of the present invention is in the form of a square, and divided by intersecting lines into an even number of squares. Each of the four sides of the board has a row of squares with the same number of squares. The squares are colored or otherwise suitably marked to identify two sets of squares, equal in number, with the squares interleaved on the board so that no two squares of like color share a common boundary line. The squares located at the corners of the game board are designated as Worm-Holes 2. A playing-piece ending its move on a Worm-Hole 2 immediately moves to the Worm-Hole 2 at the diagonally opposite corner of the game board 1 and is said to transit the Worm-Hole 2. When a playing-piece transits a Worm-Hole the player must immediately place the transiting playing-piece on one square within the Worm-Hole Horizon 16 of four squares in the corner containing the Worm-hole. A playing-piece which exits a Worm-hole 2 and is placed on the exit Worm-hole 2 must exit the Worm-Hole 2 and return to the Worm-hole 2 before it may re-transit the worm-hole.

The playing-pieces of this game divide into two, three or four armies and a Goal playing-piece (Dieaphium Crystal Element) 4.

The initial position 6 of the Goal playing-piece (Dieaphium Crystal Element) 4 is the intersection of the centermost dividing lines 5. While in its initial-position the Goal playing-piece (Dieaphium Crystal Element) 4 may be captured by any playing-piece ending its movement on any of the four squares at the center of the board 7.

It is the object of the game for a player, by controlling one army, to capture the Goal playing-piece (Dieaphium Crystal Element) 4 and move it to a particular square along that army's side of the board designated as the Home-Port 8 of that player's army. Each Army's Home-Port 8 is the square immediately adjacent to the centermost dividing line 5 and clockwise from that player's dividing line 5. A playing-piece in possession of the Goal playing-piece (Dieaphium Crystal Element) 4 may not capture an opponent's playing-piece when the playing-piece to be captured occupies the Home-Port 8 of the capturing playing-piece unless the playing-piece in possession of the Goal-playing piece is the only remaining member of its army.

Each army 9 is comprised of: Eight Common Droid Playing-pieces 10, Two Octlite Playing-pieces 11, Two Phobius Rider Playing-pieces 12, Two Nimrod playing-pieces 13, and one Emperor playing-piece 14. Each Army 9 is uniquely identified by color, or other suitable markings, enabling the players to distinguish the playing-pieces of their armies 9 from all other armies.

The first move of each Common Droid Playing-piece 10 may be one or two squares forward. Common Droid Playing-pieces 10 may move only one square forward or backward on each second or subsequent move. Common Droid Playing-pieces 10 capture opposing playing-pieces by moving diagonally one square forward or backward as shown in FIG. 3 and replacing the captured opponent playing-piece. Optionally, Common Droid Playing-pieces 10 capture opposing Common Droid Playing-pieces by moving diagonally one square forward or backward as shown in FIG. 3 and occupying the square skipped by the opponent's Common Droid playing piece on the opponent's most recent turn.

A Common Droid Playing-piece 10 which completes its movement in any square of the back row opposite 15 the initial starting position of that Common Droid Playing-piece 10 may be promoted to any other Playing-Piece of the same army 9.

Octlite Playing-pieces 11 may move either: a) one square forward, backward, left, or right, or b) as many squares as desired in one of the four diagonal directions along unoccupied squares up to and including the first opponent occupied square. FIG. 4 shows the movement capability of the Octlite Playing-pieces 11. Octlite Playing-pieces 11 capture by ending permitted movement on a square occupied by an adversary's playing-piece and replacing the captured opponent playing-piece.

Phobius Rider Playing-pieces 12 may move either: a) three squares forward or backward followed by one square either left or right, or b) three squares to the left or right followed by one square forward or backward. Phobius Rider Playing-pieces 12 ignore playing-pieces which occupy squares along their path of movement. FIG. 6 shows the Phobius Rider Playing-pieces' 12 movement capability. Phobius Rider Playing-pieces 12 capture by ending permitted movement on a square occupied by an adversary's playing-piece and replacing the captured opponent playing-piece. Phobius Rider Playing-pieces 12 may not be the first to capture the Goal playing-piece (Dieaphium Crystal Element) 4 in a two player game because this would result in a certain victory for the first player to move.

Nimrod playing-pieces 13 may move either forward, backward, left or right in a straight line across unoccupied squares or into an adversary occupied square as far as possible. FIG. 5 shows the Nimrod playing-pieces' 13 movement capability. Nimrod playing-pieces 13 capture by ending permitted movement on a square occupied by an adversary's playing-piece and replacing the captured opponent's playing-piece.

While Uncloaked, the Emperor playing-piece 14 may move in a straight line either forward, backward, left, right or diagonally up to three unoccupied squares and may end movement on an opponent occupied square. FIG. 7 shows the uncloaked Emperor playing-piece's movement capability. The Cloaked Emperor playing-piece 14 may move in a straight line either forward, backward, left, right or diagonally across unoccupied squares as far as possible and may end movement on an opponent occupied square. FIG. 8 shows the cloaked Emperor playing-piece's movement capability. The Emperor playing-piece 14 captures by ending permitted movement on a square occupied by an adversary's playing-piece and replacing the captured opponent's playing-piece. The Emperor playing-piece 14 starts the game uncloaked. Capture of an opponent's playing-piece permanently uncloaks the Emperor playing-piece 14 which made the capture. 

1) A square game board having an even number of squares, but not less than ten, on each of a first, second, third and fourth side said sides having a first, last square, and a center said first square of said first side coinciding with said last square of said fourth side, said first square of said second side coinciding with said last square of said first side, said first square of said third side coinciding with said last square of said second side, said first square of said fourth side coinciding with said last square of said third side, comprising: (a) an even number of said squares of alternating identification means; (b) Four Home-Ports located at four squares adjacent to said center of said first, second, third and fourth sides in a counterclockwise direction along the first side of said game-board; (c) Worm-Holes placed at each of the first squares of said sides of said game board. 2) The game board of claim 1 wherein the identification means is coloration. 3) The game board of claim 1 wherein the number of squares on each of the first, second, third and fourth sides is fourteen. 4) A method of playing a board game having a square playing board of ten or more squares on each of a first, second, third and fourth side comprising the steps of: (a) dividing the playing area into an even number of squares of alternating identification means; (b) placing a predefined set of playing-pieces initially in predetermined squares for a first, second, third and fourth player each of said first, second, third and fourth player's pieces being placed in identical positions along said first, second, third and fourth sides respectively; (c) moving one piece of the first, second, third and fourth players in a predefined sequence in each turn of play; (d) winning the game if one of the first, second, third or fourth players captures a Goal playing-piece (Dieaphium Crystal Element) placed in the center of the board and moves said Goal playing-piece (Dieaphium Crystal Element) to the Home-Port of said capturing player. 5) The method of claim 4 wherein the identification means is coloration 6) The method of claim 4 wherein the number of squares on each of the first, second, third and fourth sides is fourteen. 7) A game comprising: (a) a game board having a plurality of squares marked on a surface of said game board, said squares including at least 144 squares arranged in a square at least 12 squares on a side having an even number of squares, but not less than ten, on each of a first, second, third and fourth side comprising; (b) an even number of said squares of alternating identification means; (c) Worm-Holes placed at each of the four corners of said game board and a Home-Port located on each side of said board; (d) A plurality of armies of selectively locatable and movable playing-pieces; (e) Four Home-Ports located at the first square in a counterclockwise direction along the each of the four sides of said game board from the center of the side; (f) A Goal playing-piece element. 8) the game of claim 7 wherein there are four armies. 9) the game of claime 7 wherein there are three armies. 10) the game of claim 7 wherein there are two armies. 11) the game of claim 7 wherein the armies comprise: eight Common Droid playing-pieces, two Octlite playing-pieces, two Phobius rider playing-pieces, two Nimrod playing-pieces, and one Emperor playing-piece. 12) the game of claim 7 wherein the identification means is color. 13) the game of claim 7 wherein the number of squares on each of the first, second, third and fourth sides is fourteen. 14) the game of claim 7 wherein the locatable and movable playing-pieces of each of the armies are identified with each of the respective armies by distinctive colors. 15) the game of claim 7 wherein the said game is implemented by a computer and software. 16) the method of claim 4 wherein said method is implemented by a computer and software. 